Entries for October 2004

An international group of scientists from Vrije Universiteit and Wageningen University has calculated and modeled the potential effects of the exploitation of peatsoils on the greenhouse gas balance for Northern peatlands. In the new scientific publication in PNAS ‘The uncertain climate footprint of wetlands under human pressure’, they conclude that rewetting of drained peatsoils not only rapidly reduces emissions from drained peatlands but also on the longer term turns them into effective net greenhouse gas sinks. The wise use of peatsoils is essential in combating climate change.

By Marie-Jose Vervest - What is the best approach to restore and protect a coastline that was hit by a Tsunami? Driven by my own involvement in mangrove restoration after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and ‘Building with Nature’ approaches with Wetlands International, I attended the event ‘Global approaches to coastal resilience’ organized by READY Asia-Pacific at the WCDRR in Sendai. In this session coastal protection measures after the March 11th 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan were discussed.

The Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction 205-2030 has been agreed at 10pm in Japan with a central role for ecosystem degradation as a root cause of increased risk and for ecosystem based approaches as key solutions for reduced risk; overview of statements from global leaders and practitioners in Sendai pointing to the important role environment and healthy ecosystems can play in reducing disaster risk.

By Julio Montes de Oca Lugo, Wetlands International Panama - What are some of the “ingredients” that would make a “recipe for resilience”? Wetlands International and its programme partners in the coalition Partners for Resilience (CARE, Cordaid, Netherlands Red Cross and Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre) explored this very question during a side event entitled “Sharing experiences for an integrated DRR approach”, at the Sendai World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) last Sunday.

By Ritesh Kumar, Wetlands International South Asia - At the session on ‘Economic aspects of Disaster Risk Reduction’at the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR) in Sendai on 16 March, the JICA Vice President, Mr. Kiyushi Kodera indicated that over 85% of ODI related to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) was still ex-post, for relief and reconstruction. This is taking place despite the proven effectiveness of investment in DRR and community resilience.

As HFA2 negotiations continue, governments, private sector and practitioners commit to advance ecosystem disaster risk reduction at the Third World Conference on DRR.

Sendai, Japan - As negotiations for the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction (Hyogo Framework for Action 2 - HFA2) continue, global leaders and practitioners are pointing to the important role environment and healthy ecosystems can play in reducing disaster risk.

About 80% of the text for a post-2015 framework on Disaster Risk Reduction is agreed, we are making progress; The Netherlands, France, Philippines, Vietnam, Colombia and Japan explore the idea to form an Alliance of Delta countries for more cooperation between countries on prevention and reduction of water related disasters in deltas.

Little progress on HFAII – 6 targets agreed and now starting with the difficult issues; Focus on the role of addressing mismanagement of water resources as 95% of disasters are water-related; Invite to tomorrow’s event: Preventive action in water-related DRR, building an international coalition for integrated delta management and resilience.

By Fred Pearce - In October 2013, one of the fiercest cyclones to hit the Bay of Bengal for many years made landfall on the low-lying delta coast of the Indian state of Odisha. With winds battering the coastline at more than 200 kilometres per hour, the structural damage from cyclone Phailin was intense. Thousands of straw, timber and bamboo homes were destroyed across the delta of the River Mahanadi, one of India’s largest deltas. Trees were uprooted, cars upturned and power lines broken across the delta as high winds were accompanied by a three-metre storm surge.